West Yorkshire's Police and Crime Commissioner joining thousands of spectators at the Tour de Yorkshire (29 Apr 2015)

The West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner will be joining
thousands of spectators this weekend as the first ever Tour de
Yorkshire comes to the county.

Mark Burns-Williamson will be watching the third and final leg of
the route, which starts in Wakefield and finishes in Leeds and is
calling on spectators and volunteers to join him to create an 'army
of cheering fans' and give the riders a proper West Yorkshire
welcome.

The Commissioner said;

"The very idea for this race came about after the massive success
of the visit of the Tour de France last year and we have already
shown that we can put on a brilliant show for important events like
this.

"It is another excellent opportunity to show the world what 'God's
own county' has to offer and like thousands of other people I can't
wait for the event to begin. If it is anything like the Tour de
France last year then it will be fun for all the family and an
amazing spectacle.

"Everyone can get involved in some way, whether just cheering on
the riders or sharing their photos on Social Media. If you use
#TDYPolicePics then the police will share them on their social
media accounts.

"West Yorkshire Police are again playing their full role with our
partners in local government and Welcome to Yorkshire, and I would
like to thank all our officers, staff and volunteers for helping to
facilitate this event.

"I would also urge people attending the event and those just going
about their daily business to plan ahead and be mindful of road
closures on the day."

Assistant Chief Constable of West Yorkshire Police, Mark Milsom,
said: ''This year we are trying to minimise disruption and
significantly lower the number of road closures by operating a
rolling road block. This means around 60 motorcyclists will travel
alongside the cyclists holding traffic for temporary periods until
the riders have left the area. This should mean most roads along
the route will only be closed for around 30 minutes.

''These motorcyclists are the absolute provision of safety for
those watching and taking part in the race and will often be
travelling at significant speed in and out of traffic.
Unfortunately, this means opportunities for high-fives will be
limited in comparison with last year, but we do love getting
involved with the crowds and we will do everything we can to make
the race weekend as enjoyable as possible while ensuring the safety
of spectators, riders and everyone involved in the event.

''If the atmosphere is anything like last year it will be a
fantastic weekend and a real showcase of everything Yorkshire has
to offer.''

With over a million people expected to line the route over the
three days, roads and public transport will be busy - so follow
these simple steps to make it a day to remember.

Plan ahead - choose where you want to watch

Set off early - expect your journey to take longer than usual,
so give yourself plenty of time to bag the best spot and plan to be
there for the whole day.

Keep it simple. The best option might be walking, or of course,
getting on your bike!

Know your options. Have an alternative plan in case your first
choice of location is busy.